


Code of Conduct

by stupidnephilimlove



Series: Office Hours [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, College, M/M, POV Magnus Bane, Professor Magnus Bane, Student Alec Lightwood, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 18:01:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14878616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stupidnephilimlove/pseuds/stupidnephilimlove
Summary: Newly-appointed Assistant Professor Magnus Bane just wants to be a good teacher and help his students. Of course, the student that needs his help the most just happens to be Alexander Lightwood.Get a glimpse into the mind of Magnus Bane fromOffice Hoursand his first few weeks of teaching Alec Lightwood.





	Code of Conduct

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iwillstayalive](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwillstayalive/gifts).



> For [Kindaresiliant's](https://www.kindaresiliant.tumblr.com) birthday. Thought you would like this snippet of Magnus POV given that this all started because of you. Hope you had a great day lovely.

Magnus’ palms are sweaty, and the collar of his shirt seems to be restricting his ability to breathe. It’s not the first time he’s stood in front of a room full of expectant faces, but it is the first time he’s stood here as a professor.

His hand shakes imperceptibly as he writes his name across the board in a looped script. The squeak of the marker as he writes is harsh, breaking the silence of the room.

_Professor Bane._

He likes the way that looks in the blue ink. All that work and finally he feels like he has something to show for it. Magnus takes a deep breath to settle his nerves. He can do this. His hand is steadier as he writes the next line.

_History 103: An Introduction To Greek Mythology_

He can’t, however, do the whole lecture facing the board now, can he? He takes one more breath to bolster himself, repeats the mantra that has helped him so many times under his breath - fake it till you make it - and he twists on his heels to face his class.  _His class_. That’s a little surreal, and he has to push down the hysteria that threatens to bubble up out of his throat.

“Welcome,” Magnus starts, keeping his voice strong and steady. His eyes scan the room, and he continues, “to History 103.”

Perhaps he raises his hands with a little flourish as he says it, but he’s always thought of the lecture hall as a stage, and this is where the performance starts. It’s all about making the audience - or in his case, college students - feel something, be it anger, love or adoration, for the subject material. In the process, he hopes they also learn something.

Magnus’ eyes fall on a student towards the back of the class, and his next words die in his mouth. It’s not because of the messy brown bed-head, or the full pink lips, not even because of the defined jawline, or strong shoulders. It’s the intent with which he’s staring at Magnus, slightly slack-jawed, as if Magnus holds the answers to the universe itself.

Magnus quickly averts his eyes, adjusts his shirt, and tries to remember his next words. His ego, however, preens a little from the attention and Magnus feels the self-confidence he’s spent years cultivating slide right back into place.

-

When Magnus looks down at the seating chart he got the class to fill out, Alexander is crossed out to be replaced with Alec. It’s the name written for the student with the messy hair and intent stare.  _Alexander_ , ‘protector of men’. It’s a strong name. Magnus likes it. It has his mind creating connections with the Greek legend Paris, who was once known as Alexander and prophesied to be the ruin of his homeland. A face like Alec’s could be the ruin of Magnus. He’s not sure he likes the symmetry.

Alec’s gaze is intense, and Magnus never once sees him writing anything down. How can he be remembering all this? From the test Magnus sets at the end of week two, it becomes evident he isn’t.

As Magnus sits at his desk in the late hours of the evening, he sighs in frustration over that paper. From Alec’s writing, Magnus can tell he’s intelligent. The limited connections he’s made are thought out and almost well executed. But the connections are disjointed and the overall theme chaotic. It’s as if Alec forgets what he’s thinking halfway through most of the paragraphs.

Magnus doesn’t want to have to fail Alec. Partly because he and his ego are partial to having Alec to glimpse at through the lectures. But mostly because he wants to be a good teacher. It’s just week two though. They both have time.

-

The test Alec sits in week four is just as bad, perhaps worse because his knowledge doesn’t seem to have grown from week two. Magnus could have sworn Alec was mostly glaring rather than staring at him through that test. Magnus talks to some of Alec’s other professors to see if the problem extends to all his classes. It doesn’t. He’s not sure whether to be pleased or disappointed at that. It just means Magnus has to do better.

-

The next week Magnus calls on Alec with the hope that he’s just having difficulty getting the words on to paper. But he has to prompt Alec, and Magnus is disappointed with the apologetic shrug of a shoulder he receives. Magnus can’t let it slide any longer.

“Mr Lightwood. Can I have a word?” He asks as the rest of the class shuffle out.

Magnus could probably have said that in a less threatening manner, but he’s trying to create a professional boundary in his mind right now. His student needs help and it’s Magnus’ job to provide it.

Alec strides over.  _Damn, he’s tall_. Magnus hadn’t noticed that when he was sitting down.

“Sure, Professor.”

‘Professor’ conjures up the image of a balding middle-aged man, and though Magnus usually prefers Sir or Professor or Mr Bane with his students, for some reason he really doesn’t want Alec to think of him like that.

“Please. I’m not some stuffy fifty-year-old yet. It’s Magnus. I can tell you’re having difficulty with this class. I’ve spoken to your other Professors and you don’t seem to be having any problems.” Magnus perches on the edge of his desk, hands clasped together. Okay, maybe talking to the other professors was a step too far. But he did it. He can’t take it back. Instead, he asks, “So, how can I help you?”

And he does - want to help.

“I just.” Alec doesn’t look at Magnus. “It’s taking me a little longer to get it.”

That doesn’t feel like the truth.

Magnus places a hand on Alec’s arm in reassurance. He keeps his mind away from the firm muscles he feels through the thick hoodie Alec’s wearing. He can’t think like that about a student.

Guiltily, he says, “If you need me to talk topics through with you, please, use my office hours. I’m here to help.”

As Alec stumbles through a ‘yeah, sure’ and leaves as quickly as possible, Magnus half hopes he doesn’t turn up. Because if he does, it would just be the two of them together in a room. And well, Magnus would be fucked. Or he’d try to be, if he didn’t believe in a strict code of ethics.


End file.
